


Cave Disaster

by GreenCat42



Series: Voltron One Shots [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, One Shot, Post Season 2, and allura is the red paladin, keith is the black paladin, klance, langst a little, sort of character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-02-18
Packaged: 2018-09-25 06:32:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9807371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenCat42/pseuds/GreenCat42
Summary: Shiro is still gone and Keith is leading Voltron. When they go down to check out a distress signal, it leads them to a cave. When a cave in happens, Lance is trapped with no way to get out. Will he die or get rescued in time?





	

            “The distress signal is coming from here,” Keith said. “Hunk, Pidge, Lance; you check it out.”

            “What about you?” Lance snarked. “Gonna sit outside and wait with the lions?”

            They’d taken Black, even though Red was still upset about the joint bond. “I’m guarding the entrance in case Galra forces attack.”

            “Right.”

            Lance followed the other two paladins inside the cave. Hunk’s tracker beeped. “It’s this way.”

            They’d followed a distress beacon down to a half dead planet, but none of them had seen Galra or any other signs of life. “Maybe this was a bad idea,” Hunk whispered as they walked further into the cave.

            Lance nodded in agreement. The walls of the cave had this odd pearlescent cast, shimmering when they put a light to it. jagged edges hung down from the ceiling, large stalactites nearly reaching the floor.  It was creepy, Lance thought it was very creepy. “Do you think the aliens built these caves? Or natural made?” Lance asked.

            “It looks naturally made, see the ridges,” Pidge said.           

            The path started to slant downwards, and the beeping quickened. “We’re reaching the source,” Hunk said.

            “Look at those,” Pidge gasped.

            There were long slender metal formations pushed into the walls. They started where they stood, curving down the walls and out of sight. “Wire?”

            Pidge poked at them, only for it to move, and shiver. Then walls shook. “What did you do!” Lance asked.

            “Nothing!” Pidge yelled back.

            Rumbling came from down below their feet, the ground starting to crack. “Back, back!” Hunk roared.

            They turned on their heels, trying not to get caught in the cracks. Fissures opened, yawning blackness appearing beneath their feet. “Don’t fall,” Pidge yelled.

            They were almost to the entrance, a pinhole of light appearing in front of them and widening. “Move!” Lance yelled.

            He made sure Hunk and Pidge were ahead of him, he had to keep them safe. “Lance hurry up!” Hunk called glancing backwards.

            Rocks began to fall from the ceiling, crashing to the ground and breaking into pieces. One hit Lance’s shoulder pain splintering down his arm. He gasped, clutching his paladin armor. It wasn’t enough, they were going to be trapped, no-not if Lance had anything to do with it. He saw a large chunk cracking above Hunk. Pidge was already outside-they were fast for someone with short legs. Hunk was slowing, his breath coming out in gasps. “Lance?” Hunk asked.

            “Go buddy!” Lance yelled pushing his friend from behind.

            The rock fell and Lance tried to scramble backwards, but it fell. He was pinned by his left leg, his head killing him. Slipping off his helmet, he saw a large crack in the front glass. When he slid it back on, and tried to use the com, nothing but static. _‘Oh quiznak,’_ Lance thought.

            He was pinned beneath a large rock, no helmet, no communications. What was he going to do now?

            The rocks crashed down completely closing off the cave. “That was close, head count!” Hunk called trying to catch his breath.

            “I’m fine,” Pidge said. “Lance?”

            “He was right behind me….” Hunk gasped turning his eyes wide. “Lance!”

            “What do you mean he was right behind you!” Keith yelled. “Where is he?”

            Keith followed Hunk’s eyes towards the pile of rock. “Behind that?” Keith asked.

            “We have to rescue him!” Hunk says.

            “Of course, we’re going to rescue him!” Keith retorts. “What do you think, we’re gonna leave him?”

            Pidge and Hunk exchanged glances. “We know you two don’t exactly get along, especially after you were made the black paladin.”

            Guilt ate at Keith’s chest. They seriously believed that he’d leave Lance, was he really that bad of a leader? _‘I need Shiro,’_ Keith thought, not for the first time and not for the last.

            “First of all, we need a plan,” Pidge said.

            Tears filled Hunk’s eyes, rolling down his dark cheeks. “My best friend is stuck in a cave, what if he’s injured?”

            “Have you tried asking him through the coms?” Keith asked with a sigh.

            “No. Lance, Lance, pick up buddy.”

            All they heard was static. “We can do this,” Keith offered.

            They began by pushing aside the smaller rocks, hoping to jiggle something lose. It didn’t work. Still no signs of Lance.

            Lance wondered if he was going to die here alone in a cave. His leg still hurt, but if he didn’t move much it was only a lingering ache. His shoulder didn’t hurt much. The dark was a little unnerving, his eyes trying to focus, but inky blackness was all he saw. His paladin armor glowed slightly, but his helmet was dark.

            “I’m going to die in here. Why would they rescue me anyways?” Lance voiced.

            His voice echoed slightly in the cave. “Keith’s the leader. I bet-I bet he’s telling the other two that I’m not worth rescuing,” Lance said trying to ignore the burning in his eyes. “They listen to him.”

            Tears rolled down his cheeks wetting his hair. “Blue will find another paladin to pilot her, Allura is already piloting Red, how hard could it be?” Lance asked himself.

            He loved Blue, more than he realized. He could even sense her bond with him, faint as it was. “I’m sorry Blue,” Lance whispered.

            An odd burning sensation began to fill his chest, what was this? Lance remembered hearing stories about miners getting caught up in mines, and running out of oxygen before they could be unearthed. Was that going to happen to Lance?

            He stopped talking and simply tried not to breathe too much. It was a lot like practicing holding his breath under water, but harder because he wanted to breathe the air. If his helmet wasn’t damaged, he could activate the artificial air inside, but he was sol.

            “Keith, I don’t want to alarm you, but if this was the only entrance; what if-what if Lance has a finite amount of oxygen,” Pidge said.

            They’d worn themselves out trying to move the boulders. Keith tried to get Black to help, but his bond wasn’t strong enough to get the lion to help. It was strange, the bond Keith had with Black was so thin, compared to Red. He huffed and pulled at his hair. “We need to think positive.”

            “Is Lance going to die?” Hunk whimpered tears filling his eyes. “I don’t want him to die.”

            “No, Lance isn’t going to die, we’re going to get him out of there,” Keith said putting on a brave face.

            “Allura, we have some bad news,” Keith said pressing the com button on his helmet.

            “What is it?”

            He sighed and took a deep breath. “Lance got stuck in a cave. Something happened and the cave entrance collapsed. We’re trying to get him out, could you send down the yellow lion to help?”

            “You’d have to bring back Hunk, I can’t send lions, you know that Keith.”

            Allura still sounded tired. She’d been spending all her time looking for Shiro. “Thanks.”

            He ended the transmission and tried to focus on getting Lance out. “What are we going to do?” Hunk asked trying not to cry.

            “If we could make an explosive, we could clear the rock away.”

            “What if Lance is injured, we could hurt him further.”

            Pidge tapped their chin. “You’re right. A small enough explosion might work.”

            They took the tracker from Hunk’s shaking hands and tore it apart. “I think I might be able to make something out of this.”

            “Here,” Hunk said. “This might help.”

            “Thanks.”

            Keith could only sit back and watch the two engineers work. He felt useless, which was an odd feeling for him. So, he paced; staring at the wall of rocks and hoping Lance wasn’t dead. Thinking that made a very sharp painful stab in his heart.

            Despite Lance’s slow breathing, he could feel his lungs burning. Suffocating, what a way to go. At least he wasn’t getting burned alive, but Lance had hoped to die peacefully in his sleep living at least 110. Closing his eyes, Lance began to cough. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. He felt the bond with Blue flare a little, panic and anger racing through his mind. She was scared, she didn’t want to lose him. _‘I’m sorry Blue, you’re going to have to find another paladin.’_

            She didn’t want another paladin. No, she wanted him, he was her best pilot. He cared about her, talked to her, took care of her. Blue roared her fury, and Lance thought he sensed her leave the castle. He took one last rattling breath, as he drifted off into darkness.

            Pidge had almost finished making the bomb when Keith heard a faint sound, almost like the roaring of a lion. Black shrugged through the faint bond they had, ignoring him. “Did you hear that?” Hunk asked.

            That’s when they saw the Blue Lion descend through the thin atmosphere. She opened her mouth, a roar echoing across the planet. “What-Blue?” Keith stammered.

            The only lion to go after her paladin was Red. Was something wrong? Lance-oh gods no. “Hurry up Pidge, something’s wrong.”

            Blue landed in front of Keith, settling her nose close. She growled low, making Keith take a step backwards. “Blue, I’m sorry,” he said.

            She opened her mouth and Keith saw ice beginning to form in her mouth. “Blue?”

            Roaring loud, she blasted ice at the cave. Keith shook in his armor, fear curling around his spine. Did she-was she going to attack him? “Keith? I think Blue is mad at you,” Hunk stammered.

            “You think?” Keith retorted.

            Blue blasted the rocks again with ice, then with one swipe of her paw she cleared them from the entrance. The three other paladins rushed inside, searching for the blue paladin. “Do you see him?”

            Light flared into the cave, lighting it up in harsh tones. Blue had switched on her head lamp rumbling low. “There!”

            “Oh no, no,” Keith muttered.

            Lance’s leg was completely mangled, blood crusting along the broken paladin armor. His helmet was cracked through the visor, and a large crack fissured through his right shoulder. “Lance?” Keith murmured.

            His eyes were closes and his face pale. “Wake up buddy,” Hunk said kneeling down in front of Lance.

            Pidge was the one to check his pulse. “Nothing. He’s-he’s gone.”

            Blue roared her fury making the cave shake. “We have to get him back to the castle,” Keith said.

            It hurt, Keith didn’t know why, but his chest hurt. A hole had opened inside, gaping and painful. Losing Lance was a blow he apparently didn’t know how to deal with. “Help me with him,” Keith said.

            Hunk actually carried Lance, but Keith followed closely. Blue hovered, her bond wide open, anguish and mourning clear in their minds. Even Black shifted uncomfortably when they went inside. She followed them as they headed back to the castle.

            Allura was waiting for them in the hanger chewing on one fingernail. She’d picked that up from Pidge, and worry swam in her iridescent eyes. “Is Blue with you?”

            She roared making everyone but Hunk cover their ears. Allura stared when she saw Hunk carrying Lance off the ramp and down Black’s mouth. “Lance? Oh no! Hurry, if we get him into a pod, he’ll be ok.”

            “Allura,” Keith said. “He’s gone.”

            “What do you mean? He’s right there!”

            “No, Allura, he’s dead.”

            Tears filled her eyes. “No, I can’t lose another paladin. Coran!!”

            The tall ginger man came running. “Prepare a cryo pod, Lance is injured.”

            Keith watched the two Alteans run off together, apparently getting a pod ready. “Better hurry Hunk,” Keith said.

            Nodding, both of them knew it was pretty much a long shot. Pidge shook their head. It had been too long. They all knew how long a human could go without breathing and Lance was on the wrong side of time.

            When they arrived, a pod was raised up. The pod Coran readied was a little different, glowing a bright blue. “This one is especially for dire cases,” he said.

            His limp body was removed of his armor and placed into the cryo chamber. The blue lights reflected his black under armor, and ghosted off his skin. Coran checked the vital signs on the hologram window. His eyes were glassy and he wore an unfamiliar frown. “C’mon Lance,” he muttered.

            Lance jolted, arching his back, pain making his eyebrows slash downwards. Coran pressed different buttons as the other paladins watched on. Lance relaxed, only to arch his back again, pain clear on his face. Then a soft number of ticks clicked on the hologram. “He’s alive.”

            Keith stepped towards the pod, reaching out to touch the glass. “Get better,” he whispered.

           

 

+++

 

            The days bled by, but still Lance didn’t waken. Everyone visited his pod, watching the ticks of his heartbeat slowly and steadily keep going. If anyone noticed Keith visited him the most, none said anything. He felt the guilt sitting in his chest. He should’ve found a way to get Lance out sooner, before he’d ran out of air. He should’ve done more readings on the distress signal.

            Coran found him on the seventh day sitting in front of the pod watching Lance. “He’ll wake up,” Coran said patting Keith’s shoulder.

            “I hope so.”

            Blue had wrecked her hanger after they put him in a pod. She’d torn through one of the walls, her roars echoing throughout the castle. When his heart started again, she calmed down a little bit. Keith felt her anguish and worry, everyone did. It was hard, especially since Keith had Red’s and Black’s bonds creating cracks in his mind.

            “You should sleep,” Coran said.

            Keith shook his head, rubbing his eyes. He hadn’t slept in two days, and even then, he could barely get more than a few hours at a time. “How did Shiro do this?” he muttered.

            Coran sighed knowing just how much responsibility settled on Keith’s young shoulders. “We’ll find him.”

            Keith hoped so. He turned back to Lance, watching him sleep. Hours ticked by, and nothing changed. Then, the door hissed open and Lance’s eyes fluttered open. “Lance!” Keith exclaimed reaching out to him.

            When Keith wrapped an arm around his waist, he felt how much weight Lance had lost while in the cryo pod. Already lanky, it wasn’t good for him. “Hey, Keith? What-what are you doing here?” Lance muttered leaning heavily on Keith.

            Keith couldn’t help but tear up, he was so happy to see Lance back. “You kind of died,” Keith said.

            “Mmm, died. Yeah sounds about right.”

            He didn’t sound upset; his voice was so monotone and bland. “Lance? Are you ok?”

            “Mmm yeah.”

            Coran hurried over. “Lance!” he yelled racing over and wrapping his arms around the two boys. “You’re ok! Can you stand?”

            Keith realized that he still had his arm around the lanky brunette and let go, his cheeks hot. “Sorry…” he muttered. “I’ll just go get Hunk and Pidge.”

            Lance blinked, confused at Keith’s strange reaction. It did feel nice having that strong arm holding him up, and Keith was nice and warm. “C’mon my boy, let’s get you something to eat.”

            Keith watched as Lance and Coran left. His fists clenched together, digging his nails into his palm. Turning, he headed back to his room.

            Lance followed Coran to the mess hall. Hunk was already there and his face lit up. “Lance!” Hunk cried running over and wrapping his best friend in a bear hug.

            His feet left the ground and he was whirled around a few times. “Hunk buddy, can’t breathe.”

            “So, you are back from the dead, Keith was right,” Pidge drawled leaning on the doorframe.

            Hunk put Lance down. “He was acting weird,” Lance said rubbing his sides.

            Pidge rolled their eyes and made a face. “Don’t think too hard on it.”

            Lance smiled, it was good to be back. “So, what happened?” Hunk asked pulling out a tray of alien food delicacies out of the Altean oven.

            “I was pinned by a rock that almost took you out, and I think I ran out of oxygen.”

            “You aren’t allowed to save me again,” Hunk said pointing a spoon at Lance. “Not if it means you almost die.”

            Lance shrugged and sank down into a chair. He still felt numb, the almost dying not quite reaching him yet. “Here, I bet you’re hungry. You spent seven days in the cryo pod.”

            His hand froze when he reached out for the plate. “Seven-seven days?” Lance admonished. “Is that like-a record?”

            “Even for Alteans, but we’re not as fragile as you little Earthlings,” Coran said.

            It took twenty minutes for the fact that Lance had died to sink in. His chest hurt and he kept trying to swallow the lump in his throat. “Lance?” Hunk asked.

            His eyes burned, tears filling them and trickling down his cheeks. “I-I died. You guys rescued me though.”

            “Of course, we did.”

            “I-I….” Lance started, a sob bursting from his chest. “I thought you were going to leave me.”

            Hunk knew of Lance’s insecurities, he’d dealt with them for years. He moved to wrap his arms around his friend. “We never would. Keith was the one who kept trying to get to you.”

            He knew how worried Keith looked, despite his attempts to keep cool. Lance sniffled wiping his tears with his sleeve. “Thanks.”

            “Lance we’re your family, your teammates,” Pidge said. “I need to go drag the former red now currently black paladin out so he can talk to you.”

            Keith was currently lying on his bed twirling his Galra blade in his fingers. He still felt the pain of almost losing Lance in his chest. When he saw those blue eyes open again, it made his heart flip, a strange emotion flood his system. A knock on his door made him start. “Go away.”

            “If you don’t open this door, I will hack it and if you’re like in your underwear or something I will see it and tell everyone.”

            Of course, Pidge. Sighing, Keith got off his bed and opened his door. “Lance is awake, you helped him out of the cryo pod, but you abandon him the second he’s with another person?”

            “I’m the reason he nearly died, why would he want to see me?”

            “Go, now. If I have to drag you I will.”

            Keith sighed and reluctantly followed Pidge to the mess hall. Lance’s eyes were red rimmed as if he’d just gotten done crying. “Hey,” Keith muttered.

            Lance smiled and waved. “Hey yourself.”

            “How, uh, how are you feeling?”

            “Hungry, but that’s all good. Like I want to shower for a week.”

            “Yeah.”

            “I should-uh go do that, shower.”

            “Sure, ok.”

            Keith watched Lance walk out of the mess hall, thirty seconds after he’d gotten there. Pidge smacked the back of his head. “What?”

            “You are so awkward, ugh.”

            The rest of the day, Keith wandered the castle hoping to bump into Lance. He wanted to try again, maybe see why he wanted to see Lance’s smile again. Why he had been so upset when Lance had nearly died-again.

            Laughter echoed down the hallway, laughter that Keith knew in a moment. Lance’s laugh. He slowly walked towards the sound, trying to look inconspicuous. Hunk and Lance were talking, Lance was reiterating a story. Hunk returned the laughter, holding his stomach. He smiled when he saw Keith. “Lance, you should tell Keith the story.”

            “Oh yeah, it’s a good one!”

            His smile was now directed at Keith; that blinding grin that always made him feel a little funny. “Yeah, I’d love to hear it.”

            His laugh, his smile, the way his eyes crinkled, all of it. After seven days of not hearing it, plus the memories of after Lance dying; Keith needed a laugh. “Ok, so…”

            Keith listened to the story and he laughed and smiled. It was a good story. Hunk had slipped away while Lance told it, leaving them alone. “Lance, I-I uh,” he started not sure how to word things. “I’m sorry.”

            “Sorry for what?” the taller boy asked cocking his head to the side.

            “For, well-not being a good enough leader.”

            “You are though,” Lance said.

            Keith sighed. “I’m no Shiro.”

            To his utter surprise, Lance stepped closer and wrapped him in a hug. “I know you aren’t, but you do your best,” he murmured. “We’re a team.”

            He leaned into Lance, resting his head on the taller boy’s shoulder. He slid his arms around Lance’s waist, holding him tight. “Keith,” Lance said. “Would it be weird to ask if I can kiss you?”

            Two weeks ago, Keith would have said it was weird, but everything that had happened and his weird feelings; no kissing Lance didn’t feel weird. “No.”

            “Okay,” Lance said.

            He leaned back sliding his arms up to cup Keith’s face. His fingers were warm, brushing against his face. “Can I kiss you?”

            There was an odd look in Lance’s eyes, warm, soft. Those blue eyes were so beautiful and Keith had thought he’d never get to see them again. “Yeah.”

            Lance leaned forward, his breath fanning Keith’s lips. A gentle soft press of Lance’s lips on his. “Wow,” Lance breathed. “I dreamed of this.”

            “Can we do it again?” Keith asked.

            Lance smirked. “Sure.”

            Keith promised to himself that he wouldn’t ever let Lance die again or think that he wouldn’t be rescued and leaned in and kissed Lance.


End file.
